An Unlikely Pairing
by Serendipity Cullen
Summary: Claire finds out Sawyer isn't as aweful as he wants everyone to believe he is. Was intended to be a short story, but will be completed in 3 installments. Please read and review! I'm still rusty on fanfiction haven't written in years.
1. Chapter 1

**Author Notes**

I'm aware that _nothing_ will seperate CC, but I _love_ the idea of Sawyer/Claire or Clawyer as I call them. The bad boy meets the good girl. The good girl is strengthened by the bad boy, the bad boy is softened by the good girl. And, Claire is the _only_ one Sawyer has been nice to. Remember in...WalkAbout when he gave her the book? Anyway, most of my stories will involve Clawyer.

This was intended as a short story, but when I reached the ending...it was the _perfect_ place to stop. Read and review please :D

An Unlikely Pairing

**CHAPTER 1**

_DisClaimer_: Don't own them, all that praise goes to JJ. Though, if anyone from Lost reads this (as Jorge is rumored to do), then tell JJ to hook up Clawyer!

"I'm sorry, Freckles," Sawyer shrugged as he leaned back against a tree casually and smoked. "I never agreed to anything permanent." 

Kate glared at him. "Whatever, Sawyer," she hissed. "Just keep your distance. Consider it a warning." She threw a disgusted hand over her shoulder as she stalked off. 

Sawyer simply smirked and thumped the butt aside. She could deny it with every breath in her body, but he knew she wanted him. Most women did---not that he blamed her, of course. 

"Break another heart?" an Australian accent asked. 

Sawyer sighed---the one woman he wanted that didn't want him in return. She only had eyes for that washed up rock star. "Boy wonder let you out for a walk?" he asked without so much as glancing at her. 

It was common knowledge that Charlie didn't want Claire around any of the other men, especially Sawyer. And Sawyer was more than annoyed by that---he kept his feelings for Claire private...or so he thought. Charlie even made sure he was with Claire when she took baby Aaron in to see Jack. 

"He doesn't own me," Claire spoke up defiantly. 

Sawyer turned his head slowly and looked to her. "A lot of folks seem to think so." 

Claire shrugged, shifting the baby in her arms. "He needs me." 

"Do you need him?" 

"Wh-what?" she asked, clearly flustered and caught off guard. 

"Do you need him?" Sawyer repeated. 

"I dunno," Claire shrugged, looking down. "He's a nice guy, and h-he cares for me..." 

"Ain't enough, mammasita," Sawyer replied. "That's called a friend, not a lover." 

Claire felt her cheeks redden. She had never thought of Charlie as her lover. "That's ironic coming from _you_ of all people, Sawyer." She hoped to get the heat off of her for the moment. 

Sawyer's eyes darkened. "What is _that_ supposed to mean?" 

"You don't even care for Kate," Claire replied. "You just like pissing Jack off." 

Sawyer looked down. If she only knew the half of it. "Kate's not my type." 

"You didn't seem to think that when you bargained a kiss for something you didn't have!" 

His infamous smirk returned in all its glory. "You a little sad about that, suga'?" 

Claire's cheeks flamed. "Ugh," she muttered before stomping away. 

Sawyer watched her leave---she never looked back. He looked to where she had stood seconds before. He kneeled and dug out the seashells that were crunched under her shoes. He dusted the sand from them and placed them in his pocket. 

Several nights later, Sawyer awoke to a baby screaming. He groaned and covered his ears briefly before leaving his tent, clad only in his jeans. He scanned the beach and located Claire standing near the water with the child. Several of the others were awaking slowly and groaning---some were cursing. Charlie pulled the pillow over his head and went back to sleep. 

"You wanna put a muzzle on that kid!" Sawyer snapped, approaching Claire. "Some of us would like to sleep tonight!" 

Claire turned to him, her brimming eyes piercing in the firelight. Sawyer instantly felt ashamed for what he just said. "I'm trying!" she exclaimed, clutching the baby to her. The tears started rolling down her cheeks. "I've changed him, nursed him, bathed him, sang to him...everything I know to do!" Her shoulders started to shake and her sobs caught in her throat. 

Sawyer was instantly at her side and wrapping his arm around her small frame. "Just calm down, Claire." He paused--that was the first time he had addressed someone by his/her name and not some assigned nickname. She nodded, but the tears kept rolling down her cheeks. "The show is over," he growled, the crowd of onlookers quickly dispersing and ducking back into their tents. 

"I'm so tired," Claire muttered as she ducked into his tent. "How can I be a good mum when I'm _so_ tired?" 

"Don't worry about it," Sawyer replied. "He don't know you're tired." He settled on the sand and covered the area beside him with a blanket for her. 

Claire settled down beside him and cradled the screaming infant in her arms. A faint smile crossed her lips as she watched him retrieve his copy of _WaterShip Down_ and those goofy glasses of his. 

Sawyer used the lighter to provide reading light---he had long been out of cigarettes. He read aloud as Claire rocked Aaron. The screams died low, but whenever he stopped reading, Aaron let them know. Sawyer paused when he felt a weight on his shoulder. He glanced over to see that Claire had laid her head over on his shoulder. Aaron was in her arms, his head brushing Sawyer's arm. "Keep reading," she whispered and yawned. 

Sawyer nodded, trying not to show his interest in her or how her head fit perfectly on his shoulder and her body curved against his. He continued reading until he heard a soft snore. He glanced down and saw both mother and son sleeping soundly. He closed the book and shifted slightly. Claire stirred, making a soft murmuring, almost purring, as she snuggled into his shoulder. Sawyer sighed before preparing to sleep sitting up for the rest of the night. 

The next morning, Claire awoke slowly. Once her vision cleared, she looked down and instantly panicked. She was lying down, covered with a blanket, and her arms were empty. "Aaron!" she asked, bolting up. 

"Ssshhhh," Sawyer whispered from a few feet beside her. "I just got him to go back to sleep." 

Claire rubbed her eyes, as if to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Aaron was dozing in Sawyer's arms, holding on to one of his fingers with his tiny hand. "When did he..." 

"Half an hour ago," Sawyer replied. "I didn't want him waking you up, so I took him..." He cleared his throat. "He's got a pair of lungs...didn't want him attracting that thing in the jungle and getting eaten." 

"Why do you do that?" 

Sawyer was startled. "Do what?" 

"That," she replied softly. "Act like someone you're not." 

"You don't know me, darlin'," Sawyer replied. "You don't know what I am, and what I ain't." 

Claire sighed. "If you were as bad as you want everyone to think you are, you wouldn't be here now." 

Sawyer didn't like how close to the truth she actually was. "Don't you remember, sweetheart? I bargained to get a kiss when I never had the inhalers." 

Claire scooted closer to him and brushed the hair from his eyes. "I think you just wanted to feel loved." 

Sawyer swallowed hard and looked away. "I don't need no love..." He turned back and stopped. 

Claire was right there, centimeters from his face, and her eyes were lingering at his lips. "Kiss me, Sawyer," she said softly, tracing her thumb over his bottom lip. 

Sawyer gulped. Her breath was soft and sweet against his lips. He pried his hand from Aaron's grasp and brought it to her cheek. He rubbed his thumb across her cheek before pressing his lips to hers. The kiss was just as sweet as he ever thought it would be. 

"What the bloody hell is going on here!" 


	2. Chapter 2

**Author Notes**

I want to thank you all for the wonderful reviews! I've been busy with classes, that's why this installment was delayed---so sorry! Please read and review :D

An Unlikely Pairing - Installment 2

A low growl formed in Sawyer's throat as he heard that damn british accent. Claire pulled away, looking to Charlie with frightened eyes. "Charlie," she said softly, no hint of remorse in her throat.

"Give him to me!" Charlie demanded, reaching between them and retrieving Aaron. "See what you've done!" he exclaimed when Aaron started to cry.

"You're the asshole who made him cry," Sawyer frowned. "He wasn't screamin' until _you_ showed up!" It did add to his pride that he was the only one Aaron responded to. It gave him special access to Claire.

"What do you know about babies, you bloody American bastard!" Charlie shot back. "I told you to stay away from Claire!"

"Charlie," Claire said softly. "I know."

"Know what?" Charlie asked, confusion filling his face.

"The drugs," she whispered. "I know...you..you were a junkie...are a junkie..."

Charlie's face paled. "I a-am not!"

"Shannon saw you," Claire replied, the gentle tone never leaving her voice. "I-I don't think you should b-be around me or Aaron if you're using..."

Charlie glared at Sawyer. "This is because of _him_, isn't it!"

"No," Claire lied. "This is about protecting my baby...I can't have you around him when you're high, Charlie."

Charlie fumed more, then handed Aaron to Claire. "When he breaks your heart, you'll come running back to me! I was there for you, Claire! From the start! While you were pregnant! I killed Ethan for you!"

A tear rolled down Claire's cheek. "I know, but..."

Sawyer stood, glaring down at Charlie. "You knew all of this before you used again. You were clean from that shit, Charlie!"

"Don't you bloody talk to me!" Charlie yelled. "You don't know me!"

"Please, stop," Claire whimpered. "I just...I don't know," she sighed, looking between the two. Charlie looked so hurt, and Sawyer...she couldn't quite peg _what_ Sawyer was feeling.

Charlie grasped her free hand. "Claire...I was there for you, always there for you, always will be...can you say the same for _him_." He said the word with a growl. "You know what he's done to Kate, how he's hit on Shannon, bloody hell, he even tried to pick up Sun! What makes you think he can care for you the way I do!"

Sawyer hung his head. He knew what the little prick was saying was true, but he only did those things in hopes of making Claire jealous. He wanted to know if she cared for him. The way she rattled on when he had to talk to Aaron...she told such secret, private things about her past life, things she had probably never even told Charlie. Her dreams, hopes, desires. Sawyer looked to Charlie. "What is her favorite color?"

Charlie was caught off guard. "What!"

"Her favorite color," Sawyer repeated. "What is it?"

Charlie frowned. "I don't have time for your bloody games, in case you haven't noticed, we're stra---"

"It's blue," Sawyer interrupted. "What is her favorite food?"

Charlie looked to Claire, who was entranced with Sawyer now. "Is he bloody serious?"

"It's strawberry cheesecake," Sawyer said. "Who does she feel safe with?" It was a low blow, he knew it, but Claire had to know.

Charlie looked down, staring to his feet. "Me..."

Claire gasped. "How do you know that?" Sawyer prodded. "Could it be because you read her diary when Ethan took her!"

Claire paled. "Charlie, _please_ say you didn't!"

Charlie glared at Sawyer. "I just...wanted to know if..."

A strangled cry caught in Claire's throat and she stepped back, away from the two men. "Just go," she said softly. "We'll talk later."

Charlie nodded briefly, but stepped up to Sawyer. "You don't deserve her..."

Sawyer pushed him back, then shoved him out of the tent. "Claire..."

"Why did you tell me?" she whispered. "You knew it would hurt me..."

Then, it hit Sawyer. Like a ton of bricks. "You love him," he replied glumly. "You are infactuated with him, and I was too stupid to realize it." He rubbed his hand along the back of his neck. Everything Charlie said was true. He didn't deserve her. He couldn't screw over women his entire life, and expect a good girl to want him.

"Things are complicated with me and Charlie," Claire replied softly. "We're bonded, and..."

Sawyer held up his hand, silencing her. "I don't wanna hear it, Claire...just go back to your rockstar." He snatched up his bag and left the tent quickly.

"Sawyer, wait!" Claire cried, dashing out after him. He continued walking and didn't even glance back. A sob caught in her throat as she returned to his tent. She sat down and rocked gently, crying softly into her son's body. 


End file.
